Apparatus and method for efficient two-way optical communication where transmitter may interfere with receiver
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing two-way optical communication, the apparatus comprising:
- a transmit element, coupled to a light pipe, configured to transmit a first optical signal through said light pipe;
a receive element, also coupled to said light pipe, configured to receive a second optical signal through said light pipe; and
a transceive processor, coupled to said transmit and receive elements, configured to direct said transmit element to suspend transmitting said first optical signal during a plurality of reception periods, and configured to direct said receive element to sample for said second optical signal during one or more sampling intervals within each of said reception periods, wherein;
each of the plurality of reception periods lasts for a respective duration of time, and occurs in the first optical signal at a respective duty cycle; and
the receive element is configured to sense an ambient light level of the surrounding environment during the reception periods, and the transceive processor is configured to adjust the durations of time and the duty cycles of the reception periods according to the sensed ambient light level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A two-way optical communication apparatus includes a transmit element, a receive element and a transceive processor. The transmit and receive elements are coupled to a light pipe, and configured to transmit a first optical signal and receive a second optical signal, respectively. The transceive processor is configured to direct the transmit element to suspend transmitting the first optical signal during reception periods, and direct the receive element to sample for the second optical signal during sampling intervals within the reception periods. Each reception period lasts for a respective duration of time, and occurs in the first optical signal at a respective duty cycle. The receive element is configured to sense an ambient light level of the surrounding environment during the reception periods, and the transceive processor is configured to adjust the durations of time and the duty cycles of the reception periods according to the sensed ambient light level.
64 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing two-way optical communication, the apparatus comprising:
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a transmit element, coupled to a light pipe, configured to transmit a first optical signal through said light pipe; a receive element, also coupled to said light pipe, configured to receive a second optical signal through said light pipe; and a transceive processor, coupled to said transmit and receive elements, configured to direct said transmit element to suspend transmitting said first optical signal during a plurality of reception periods, and configured to direct said receive element to sample for said second optical signal during one or more sampling intervals within each of said reception periods, wherein; each of the plurality of reception periods lasts for a respective duration of time, and occurs in the first optical signal at a respective duty cycle; and the receive element is configured to sense an ambient light level of the surrounding environment during the reception periods, and the transceive processor is configured to adjust the durations of time and the duty cycles of the reception periods according to the sensed ambient light level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for providing two-way optical communication, the apparatus comprising:
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a light pipe, configured to transport illumination from optical signals between ends of said light pipe; a transmit element, coupled to a first one or said ends, configured to transmit a first optical signal through said light pipe to a second one of said ends; a receive element, coupled to said light pipe, configured to receive a second optical signal transported through said light pipe from said second one of said ends; and a transceive processor, coupled to said transmit and receive elements, configured to direct said transmit element to suspend transmitting said first optical signal during a plurality of reception periods, and configured to direct said receive element to sample for said second optical signal during one or more sampling intervals within each of said reception periods, wherein; each of the plurality of reception periods lasts for a respective duration of time, and occurs in the first optical signal at a respective duty cycle; and the receive element is configured to sense an ambient light level of the surrounding environment during the reception periods, and the transceive processor is configured to adjust the durations of time and the duty cycles of the reception periods according to the sensed ambient light level. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for providing two-way optical communication in a shared light pipe, the method comprising:
while, via a transmit element, transmitting a first optical signal through the shared light pipe; suspending said transmitting during a plurality of reception periods, wherein each of the plurality of reception periods lasts for a respective duration of time, and occurs in the first optical signal at a respective duty cycle; sensing by a receive element an ambient light level of the surrounding environment, wherein a transceive processor is configured to adjust the durations of time and the duty cycles of the reception periods according to the sensed ambient light level; and receiving by the receive element a second optical signal through the shared light pipe during one or more sampling intervals within each of said reception periods. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification